DALOA CH194

Chapter 194: Extra — Meeting the In-Laws

With Li Xiao’s work in Danse momentarily wrapped up, he and Song Jin were planning a trip to Snow Planet to see Shen Sinian and his partner.

Coincidentally, Song Jin had been assigned official Royal duties: a two-week diplomatic tour in his capacity as the Crown Prince. As the Royal Consort of Shengya, Li Xiao was naturally expected to accompany him.

After discussing it, the two decided to complete the diplomatic visits first before heading to Snow Planet.

Everything had been meticulously arranged, but an unexpected twist occurred the day before their departure.

“Brother Qing is pregnant?” Li Xiao sounded somewhat surprised as he listened to Li Ji on the other end of the comms.

“Yeah. Just got the test results back; it’s only been a little over a month, so it’s still in the delicate early stages.”

Li Ji’s steady tone could barely conceal his joy. “I don’t want him getting exhausted, so I’m handing over the Nanming Constellation tour to you. Is there any conflict with your schedule?”

Li Xiao asked, “When do I start?”

Li Ji replied, “I was originally planning to head to the Nanming Constellation in the next couple of days right after wrapping up the Zifu Constellation visits. The absolute latest you need to get there is tomorrow evening.”

Li Xiao glanced at Song Jin. “Understood. Tell Brother Qing to get plenty of rest.”

As Li Xiao disconnected the call, Song Jin looked at him in confusion. “Teacher Yan is pregnant? That fast? They’ve been married for less than two months.”

“An Omega’s physique makes them very prone to conceiving, after all,” Li Xiao said.

Both his elder brother and Yan Qing adored children, and given that they were at the ideal age to start a family, it was only natural they didn’t use contraception. Getting pregnant this quickly wasn’t entirely out of expectation.

The two looked at each other and fell into silence.

With Yan Qing pregnant, Li Xiao couldn’t possibly turn down the Nanming Constellation assignment. Meanwhile, the schedule over in Shengya was already set in stone—it wasn’t something they could just cancel on a whim.

Left with no other choice, they had to split up. Song Jin would return to Shengya alone first while Li Xiao took off for the Nanming Constellation, planning to reunite at Snow Planet once their respective work was complete.

On the way to the airfield, Li Xiao was driving. Seeing Song Jin looking thoroughly unamused, he offered some comfort: “The Nanming Constellation has plenty of famous local desserts. Want me to bring back some tasty snacks for you?”

Song Jin rested his chin in his hand and gave a lukewarm response.

When even snacks failed to spark the kitten’s interest, it was clear he was genuinely sulking. Li Xiao couldn’t help but chuckle. “It’s only two weeks apart. Are you really that attached to me?”

Song Jin rolled his eyes. “Don’t flatter yourself. Forget two weeks—I wouldn’t care if it were six months.”

Li Xiao raised an eyebrow. “Then why the long face?”

Song Jin: “I’m thinking about something.”

Li Xiao: “About what?”

Song Jin: “Children.”

Li Xiao stole a side-glance at him. “You want to carry one too?”

Song Jin shot him a frosty glare, his voice laced with ice. “What, looking to pick a fight before you leave?”

Li Xiao: “…”

Looking at the scenery speeding past the car window, Song Jin felt a wave of melancholy.

With Yan Qing pregnant, the Li family had an heir secured. But the Song family was still empty-handed. His older brother wasn’t as reliable as Li Ji in that department and couldn’t bear children, so after much thought, Song Jin could only pin his hopes on his old man, Shen Sinian.

Two weeks later, aboard a Shengya Royal Airship.

Song Jin stepped out from the sliding metal doors of the elevator, unbuttoning his tightly fastened cuffs. He turned to his royal guard, Sweet Potato, who was trailing behind him. “I’m heading straight to Snow Planet. Make the arrangements.”

“Understood,” Sweet Potato replied.

Entering the main cabin, Song Jin stripped off his outerwear and tossed it casually to his internal affairs assistant before walking into the pantry to pour himself a glass of ice water. “07, connect me to Li Xiao.”

The assistant scrambled to catch the coat with both hands, carefully hanging it up.

The Royal Family was extremely particular about the dress code for the Crown Prince’s official visits. Outfits that appeared effortlessly casual were actually curated down to every tiny accessory—it had to project regal authority while remaining approachable and not overly ostentatious.

After hanging up the coat, the assistant attentively stepped out to the outer room to double-check Song Jin’s upcoming itinerary.

The work group chat was pinging nonstop. The PR department had just released the press coverage, and photos of the Fourth Prince’s visits were swarming the internet, dominating the top three spots on the trending topics.

Under the related hashtags, countless citizens expressed deep regret over not seeing the young power couple—Song Jin and Li Xiao—in the same frame. Some editing wizards even Photoshopped photos from their separate visits together, titling them: The Crown Prince & Consort Photo (Budget Version).

Messages flooded the work chat at lightning speed:

— “Such a shame this time! If the Consort’s schedule hadn’t conflicted, the media coverage would be through the roof.”

— “His Highness is the Crown Prince of Danse, though; it’s not like he’s on call 24/7.”

— “Public demand is huge. The Affairs Bureau better step up their game and try to bring the Consort over next time.”

— “His Highness hasn’t made many public appearances these past two years, yet his domestic popularity keeps rising instead of dropping.”

— “You wouldn’t be surprised if you saw the news over in Danse.”

— “Here’s a photo from the Consort’s visit yesterday! [Photo]”

— “Ahhh, so handsome! They match our Fourth Prince so well!”

— “Is there any reason NOT to love him? Is there? Nope!”

The assistant clicked open the photo and thought to himself: As expected of the Fourth Prince, he sure has incredible taste.

He had thought Li Xiao’s visual appeal had already peaked two years ago, but who knew it hadn’t even reached its limit? Now it was practically off the charts.

An Alpha who had top-tier looks, elite capability, a great personality, absolute devotion, and a deep respect and tolerance for his partner—there was truly no reason for anyone not to like him.

Your Highness, you’ve got to work hard here! The whole nation is eagerly waiting for you to officially win him over and bring him home to Shengya.

Inside the pantry, Song Jin had 07 establish a connection with 09.

“You need two more days?” Song Jin’s brows knitted slightly. “Didn’t you say yesterday that you’d be wrapped up by today?”

Li Xiao: “There are some operational issues with the local government here. If left unchecked, it’s going to cause a mess.”

In his mind, Song Jin cursed those unreliable local officials up and down. They were supposed to meet in just a few hours.

Hearing silence on Song Jin’s end, Li Xiao assumed the signal was poor. “Xiao Jin, can you hear me?”

With a sour face, Song Jin didn’t say a word. Instead, he fished an ice cube out of his glass and crunched on it loudly to express his severe dissatisfaction.

Hearing Li Xiao’s low chuckle through the comms, Song Jin let out a faint hmph.

Li Xiao’s voice carried a hint of amusement. “I saw the news photos from your visits. You looked great in today’s outfit. Wear it for me in a couple of days.”

Song Jin suppressed the urge to curve his lips upward, uttering dryly, “I thought you’d prefer me not wearing anything at all.”

Li Xiao: “I like that too, but that’s strictly reserved for my eyes only. Speaking of which, you promised to do a striptease for me. When are you delivering on that?”

Song Jin choked on his words, having completely forgotten about that wager. Back then, he had intended to make Li Xiao strip for him, but ended up losing the bet instead.

Song Jin retorted, “You can’t even finish your work on time and you still want to see a striptease? Why don’t you fly up into the sky?”

Li Xiao: “Trying to back out again?”

Song Jin: “I’m ready to perform. You’re the one who isn’t here.”

Li Xiao: “…”

Half an hour later, Song Jin transferred to another shuttle bound for Snow Planet.

Perpetually covered in thick layers of ice and snow, Snow Planet looked from a distance like a soft, round glutinous rice ball.

When Song Jin arrived at the tarmac, it was around 11:00 AM local time. Stepping out of the main doors, he immediately spotted Song Zheng’s car. He walked over, opened the passenger door, and climbed inside.

Song Zheng glanced behind him. “Where’s Xiao Li?”

“Work came up at the last minute. He’ll be here in two days.” Song Jin buckled his seatbelt. “It really isn’t easy getting him to come home.”

Song Zheng drove the car out. “Once he inherits the throne, he’ll only be busier. Living in two separate places will be your daily normal in the future; you’d better get used to it early.”

“Living apart isn’t necessarily unavoidable,” Song Jin said, staring out at the vast white snow ahead. “Setting up an express direct line between the two royal palaces would make daily commuting completely doable.”

Song Zheng asked, “Could you keep that up for decades?”

Song Jin replied, “There’s no need to do it for decades. Wouldn’t it be fine to just find a successor and dump the responsibilities off early? Didn’t you and my big brother do the exact same thing?”

Song Zheng: “…”

Song Jin rested his chin in his hand and muttered, “The real problem is where to find a successor…”

As if a thought suddenly struck him, Song Jin turned his head and sized Song Zheng up from head to toe. “Father… you’re—still up for it, right?”

Song Zheng: “…”

By the time they arrived home, it was already lunchtime. Just as they stepped through the front door, Shen Sinian came home right behind them, having just finished work.

Song Zheng brewed hot coffee for the father and son, tied on an apron, and headed toward the kitchen. “The ingredients are mostly prepared. I just need to stir-fry a couple of vegetable dishes and lunch will be served. You two go warm up in the living room first.”

Song Jin shook his head with a series of tsk-tsks. “Dad is practically a full-blown househusband now. Where did his once mighty and domineering side go?”

“This was always his true nature,” Shen Sinian said. Carrying his coffee and an academic journal, he walked past Song Jin and sank into a plush sofa to flip through the pages.

Song Jin followed him over and curled into an armchair. “Isn’t it because he had no choice? If he didn’t learn how to cook, the two of you would be staring at each other on empty stomachs every single day.”

Shen Sinian remarked, “He already knew how to cook at sixteen. The first time he brought me home, he said he wanted to cook a meal for me. I thought it was just an excuse, but it turned out he was being completely serious.”

Song Jin burst out laughing loudly. “Were you disappointed?”

Shen Sinian replied, “A little bit, yeah.”

Song Jin asked, “What happened after that?”

Shen Sinian said, “We dated for two years, and aside from his culinary skills, he didn’t make a single step of progress anywhere else.”

Song Jin leaned in. “Then how did you two finally take that step?”

Shen Sinian curled his lips into a smile. “During one of our dates, I told him I wanted to eat something else and pulled him straight into the bedroom.”

Song Jin gave him a massive thumbs-up. “Dad lost that one big time.”

Flipping through the journal, Shen Sinian casually said, “There’s no winning or losing in love. Liking someone yet lacking the courage to speak up or pursue them—that is true defeat.”

Song Jin set down his coffee cup, walked over to Shen Sinian’s side, and began massaging his shoulders. “You and Father met when you were young and weathered so many storms together over the decades. You were even forced apart for over ten years in between. Now that you can finally live a peaceful life, shouldn’t you make up for all that lost time?”

It was rare for his youngest son to be so attentive and flattering. Shen Sinian relaxed and leaned back comfortably. “Make up for it how?”

Song Jin said, “By being overly sweet, super clingy, and completely shameless.”

Shen Sinian was amused by him. “You think I’m like you? A sixty-year-old man acting like a kid, thinking about only that stuff all day long?”

“You’re only sixty, right in the prime of your life, at the peak of your charm.” Song Jin patted Shen Sinian’s cheek. “Show me any old man who looks this gorgeous with not a single wrinkle in sight! This face looks thirty at most.”

Shen Sinian narrowed his eyes slightly, sensing something off.

Normally, his youngest son had a razor-sharp tongue, yet today he was showering him with non-stop flattery. Something was definitely up.

Excessive courtesy always hides a hidden motive.

Shen Sinian said, “Drop the prelude. Get straight to the point.”

Song Jin leaned down over Shen Sinian’s shoulders and offered a sweet, charming smile. “Would you consider having a third child?”

Shen Sinian: “…”

He knew it wasn’t anything good.

Shen Sinian gave a cold, blunt rejection: “No.”

Song Jin pressed on, “With your physical condition, living to a hundred and eighty is absolutely no problem. You’re only one-third of the way through your life; wouldn’t it be a tragic waste not to use such golden years to have another child? Besides, your and Father’s genetics are so exceptional—you managed to give birth to someone as brilliant and beautiful as me. It would be a total waste not to have a few more.”

Shen Sinian flipped a page, reading while speaking: “You inherited the great genes from your father and me, and Xiao Li possesses the formidable talent of the Bijue clan that even cybernetically modified humans can’t dream of matching. The two of you are the ones who should be having more kids.”

Song Jin argued, “We’re both Alphas! How are we supposed to have one?”

Shen Sinian countered, “With me around, however many you two want, I can help you cultivate them.”

Song Jin: “…”

Song Jin continued, “Is an embryo made in a lab really the same as a child carried to term? What if there are hidden, unknown genetic diseases?”

Shen Sinian asked, “Aren’t Xiao Li’s two fathers both Alphas as well?”

Song Jin: “…”

Shen Sinian added, “Wei Feng’s genetic repair capability is exceptionally powerful—even crude gene editing can self-repair naturally. As his direct blood descendant, Xiao Li inherited that exact trait. So if the two of you want to have a child, the risks are minimal.”

Song Jin toughened his stance and said, “He said having me is enough; he doesn’t plan on having kids.”

Shen Sinian replied, “Just because he says no means you’re out of options? Steal a tissue sample back home, and once the rice is cooked, he’ll have to accept it whether he wants to or not.”

Song Jin: “…”

To think such a ruthless man was actually his father.

While they were talking, Song Zheng emerged from the kitchen carrying plates and called out to them, “Time to eat.”

Shen Sinian put down his magazine and stood up. “Having the two of you little treasures is more than enough for me. Don’t go plotting against me.”

Song Jin, unwilling to give up, chased after him. “You bore a child for Big Brother, but won’t give me one? That’s way too biased!”

Shen Sinian pulled out a chair and sat down. “You were an accidental pregnancy, not something I deliberately conceived for your brother’s sake.”

Song Jin sat in the seat next to him. “Then accidentally get pregnant with another one.”

Shen Sinian: “…”

Setting up their tableware, Song Zheng only caught the tail end of the conversation and asked casually, “Pregnant with what?”

Song Jin answered, “I asked Dad to give me a younger brother, but he refused.”

To get some peace and quiet, Shen Sinian closed his eyes and fabricated a lie on the spot: “It’s not that I refuse; it’s that your father can’t perform anymore.”

Song Jin turned to Song Zheng with a face full of shock. “How could you be incapacitated at such a young age?”

Song Zheng, taking a figurative arrow to the knee: “…”

Song Zheng placed the freshly ladled soup beside their hands. “Don’t talk while eating.”

Shen Sinian picked up his bowl. “Besides, both kids I gave birth to turned out to be gay. If I have a third, am I going to have to bear a fourth for the third’s sake? Even living to a hundred and eighty wouldn’t give me enough time to keep giving birth.”

Song Jin: “…”

Shen Sinian took a sip of the warm pork rib soup. “I really wonder whose genes you two inherited that from.”

Song Jin silently turned his gaze to Song Zheng.

Enduring the dagger-like stares from both his partner and son sitting opposite him, Song Zheng had never felt having a meal could be this grueling. Looking at Shen Sinian, he said with utmost seriousness, “You’re the only person I’ve ever loved. The fact that our youngest likes Alphas was clearly influenced by Xiao Yu setting the precedent.”

Shen Sinian remarked, “Then that’s all the more reason not to have another. The environment a third child would grow up in is far too perilous. If they turn into a little terror, none of us will ever know a moment of peace.”

Song Jin: “…”

Song Zheng: “…”

With Li Xiao absent, Song Jin found himself with far too much free time. Having nothing else to do, he tailed Shen Sinian non-stop, nagging him about having a baby—from the house to the research lab, and from the lab back home.

It was like a relentless incantation loop. Unable to take it any longer, Shen Sinian finally kicked him out of the house by dusk the following day.

At the airfield.

Song Yu and Rong Shi, wearing hats and scarves, were making a low-profile crossing through the waiting hall when they immediately caught sight of Song Jin waiting by the car.

On a freezing snowy day, the younger brother was wearing only a thin windbreaker jacket. The popped collar hid his chin, and his pale golden hair was slightly ruffled by the wind with tiny speckles of white snow resting on it. His brow radiated the full, boundless vigor of youth.

Noticing the two tall Alphas in heavy coats approaching, Song Jin raised his hand to signal them.

“Hurry up, I’m freezing to death.”

“How rare for you to be so proactive, actually coming out to pick me up personally,” Song Yu said, strolling over at an unhurried pace.

Song Jin hummed, his expression utterly sour. “I got kicked out by Dad.”

Song Yu let out a teasing laugh. “Did you tamper with his lab equipment again?”

Song Jin: “I tried to convince him to have a third child.”

Song Yu: “You brought that on yourself.”

Song Jin: “…”

Rong Shi gently brushed the snow off Song Jin’s hair and opened the car door. “It’s windy out here. Get in the car first.”

All three climbed inside, and Song Jin activated the hovercar, zooming out into the sky.

En route, after hearing Song Jin finish his explanation, Rong Shi chimed in, “It really isn’t suitable for Dad to have another child at his age. Is there truly no room for negotiation on Li Xiao’s end? I’ll talk to him once we get home.”

“He’s only arriving tomorrow,” Song Jin said.

Song Yu gave a soft chuckle. “Is it that Li Xiao disagrees, or is it that you aren’t willing?”

Song Jin held the steering wheel without replying immediately.

Truth be told, they had never formally sat down to discuss the topic of children, but Li Xiao had never expressed any desire to have kids before.

Song Jin said, “Xiao Xiao was created through genetic engineering. Using his genes to create another child carries far too much risk. The safest route would still be having Dad carry one.”

Besides, he didn’t want a child to divide Li Xiao’s attention.

Li Xiao didn’t necessarily love children, but if they had one, he would undoubtedly devote himself fully to raising it.

He didn’t want Li Xiao’s eyes focusing on anyone other than himself—at least, not right now.

Song Yu asked, “If Dad isn’t willing, can you really force him into it?”

Song Jin: “You’ve spent more time around him than I have. Hurry up and help me think of a way.”

Song Yu: “…”

Song Yu said, “They’re just kids—aren’t there plenty out there? Why do you have to hyper-fixate on Dad?”

Song Jin countered, “Talk is cheap. Where are they? Did you secretly give birth to a bunch behind my back?”

Song Yu smiled. “Yangyang’s triplets just reached their one-month milestone.”

Song Jin’s eyes instantly lit up.

“They’re already born? How come I didn’t hear a single word about this?”

Song Yu chuckled. “Precisely to guard against a child-stealing wolf like you.”

Song Jin: “…”